The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Ver. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit] i.e. Such a heart as lieth low, and heareth all that God saith; such a sacrifice or service as is laid on the low altar of a contrite heart, which sanctifieth the sacrifice (Mr Abbot); such a person as with a self-condemning, self-crucifying, and sin-mortifying heart, humbly and yet believingly maketh out for mercy and pardon in the blood of Christ, this, this is the man that God expects, accepts, and makes great account of.
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise] This is great comfort to those that droop under a sense of sin and fear of wrath, being at next door to despair. Bring but a broken heart, and God will receive you graciously, pouring the oil of his grace into your broken vessels, This comforted Bernard on his deathbed, he died with this sentence in his mouth. Austin caused it to be written on the wall over against his bed where he lay sick and died. Many poor souls even in times of Popery had heaven opened unto them by meditating on this psalm; and especially on this verse Psalms 51:17. (Jo. Manl. loc. com. 73)